Variable-speed-gear driving mechanism.



M. E. DEWSTOE.

VARIABLE SL EED GEAR DRWING MECHANSWL APPrJiATION FILED MAR, l3, ms.

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M. E. DEWSYUL VARIABLE SPEED MAR DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILiD MAR. 13. 915.

Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

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MARTIN E. DEWSTQE, 9F BIBEEING-HAT I, ALABAMA.

VAEIABLE-SPEED-GEAR DRIVZL G RESP;

concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN E. Dnwsron, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Birmingham in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable-Speed-Gear Driving Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a gear speed changing mechanism for engine and turret lathes. and machine tools, and its objects are to obtain an increased number of speeds without materially increasing gears: to avoid absolutely the use of friction clutches or tumbler gears in the heac; to avoid the use of jaw clutches as far as possible; to have only the gears that aredoing the actual driving in mesh; to avoid the use of loose gears and drive all gears by keys; to avoid high peripheral speed of gearing and reduce to the minimum the number of gears in mesh to obtain any desired speed drive; to make all parts accessible for repair by arranging the gears on lines all in the same plane; to obtain a low cost of manufacture and maintenance by using short shafts and providing ties; and by making all speeds selective so that any desired speed can be'obtained directly and without reference to any other speed. e., without passing through any other gears.

One distinguishing characteristic of my gear mechanism is the provision of a countersha-ft carrying a .cone of gears, which are preferably selective. and which is adapted to be driven by a sliding clutch gear adapted to engage a clutch driven by or on the pri mary power shaft so that the countershaft and its gears can be wholly disconnected from the drive. This arrangement permits me to pass the slower range of speed drives through the countershaft and to shunt the countershaft for the higher speed drives, thereby maintaining always a minimum number of gears irl motion and having only those actually driving in mesh.

My invention further comprises many other novel features of construction, design and arrangement which may be understood by those skilled in the art by reference to several selected speed changing gear mecha- Specification of Letters Eatent.

the number of simple oiling facili-' nisms which are illustrative of the principles underlying my invention.

Referring to the drawings '.-l5igure a plan view of the gear be more particularly designed for driving engine lathes. Fig. 53 is an end elevation of Fig. l with a pulley shaft shown in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the speed changing mech anism as adapted for driving turret lathes Fig. 4 is an end elevation of Fig. 3.

Similar reference numerals refer to. simi lar parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and which. is particularly adaptec for engine lathes, Lshow the speed changing gear mechanism mounted in a box 1 which is divided in horizontal. plane into sections hinged at one side on the hin e pin 2 and made fast at the other side bolts 3 or other suitable fastening means. The hearings for the several gear shafts and the spindle have their centers in line of the horizontal division of the gear hon, as will be seen by reference to 2, so that,

by raising the top section of the hex any shaft and its gears can he lifted out and its bearings inspected repaired or cqnveniently oiled. The primary or driveshaft t, having a pulley 5 mounted thereon, extends through a suitable dust protector 6 and bearing 7 into the gear box, and its inner reduced end has a bearing in a chamber formed in the center of a gear wheel 8 which is fast on the countershaft 9. This countershaft 9 is provided with suitable bearings 10 and 11 which are in alinement with the hearing 7 so that the short shafts i: and 9 stand end to end and have a common center line. Upon the drive shaft 4, l mount a cone of selective driving gears 12, and let, which slide on the shaft and are driven therewith by a key 15. The gears 12 and 13 are preferably formed integral and are shifted by a lever yoke 16. The gear 14: has a collar 17 integral therewith and grooved to receive a lever i'lS the selective manipulation of the cone of.

gears. I provide an intermediate shaft formed by tWO SQCtZLGHS 20 and 21, the section 20 being mounted at one end in a bean -ing' 22 in the gear box and having its inner end mounted in a hearing 23 formed in the gear wheel that is fast on the shaft sec tion 21. .Qhese sections have 00m mon center line and shaft 21 is supported byan intermediate bearing Bo and an end bearing 26. Suitable caps 27 are provided to cover these outer end bearings and upon shaft 20 I key a cone of gears 28, and 30,, which are adapted respectively to mesh with" the gears 12, 13 and 14: on the drive shaft. Shaft .20 also carries a small clutch gearBl adapted to mesh with gear 8 on the oosnte r shaft 9 an d being slidable on the shaft 20 under the control of a yoke This gear has a jaw clutch member 33 preferably formed integral therewith. A mating clutch member 3% is formed integral with the clutch gear 24- on shaft ll-and is so po sitioned relatively to the gear 31 and olutch member that when the clutch members are in mesh the gear 31 is out of mesh with the gear 8 and the countershatt 9 is not driven. Upon this eounte'rshaft' I key a cone of selective gears, in this arrangement two gears 35 and 36 being provided and referably formed integrally so as to be ooh trolled by the lever yoke 37 and moved thereby along the oountersha'it to respeotively engage the gear 24' or the gear '38 on shaft 21. These latter gears being keyed to the shaft 2-1 will drive that shaft and with 'it laws and small selective gears 39 and i0,

lowing gears in mesh, 12, 28, 31, 8, 36, l0

and as, the soindle is driven at the slowest speed and it will be noted only those gears which are actually driving are in mesh. As suming the follo irig parts inmesh Hand 30, the jaw clutch members 33 and 3%., gears 39 and iii, the spindle Will. be driven its highest speed and the eountev shaftis not rotate. 1 get three primary or high speeds the selective manipulation of the gears 12, 13 and 1 on the drive shaft and driving through the clutch and gears 39 "and s2. By shifting the drive through gears 31, 8, and either gears 35, or 36, I make a run of the nine faster speeds through the gears 39 and The. rim of the nine slower speeds s secured in the same Way except that the final drive is from gear A0 to gee; 43. With sixteen gears 1 ob tain eighteen different speeds and the center lines or all the gears lie in the same plane.

Kelsi-ring to Fig. 3, the main drive shaft i i5 has keyed to slider-hereon a clutch gear 46 having integral therewith clutch yaws 4:7

adapted to mesh with a mating clutch jaw i8 integral with a gear l9 keyed fast tora shaft 50 which in this arrangement forms an auxiliary drive sha'ft that is disposed odd to end and in alinement with the primary drive shaft and is adapted to be connected f to or disconnected from'the said primary drive shaft through the clutch. The shaft l5 has its inner bearing 51' in the gear Wheel 49 and the shat't'50 has bearings 52 and 58 mounted in Webs in the gear box. The counter-shaft 5a in this arrangement isdisposed, in alinemeat with the intermediate shaft 55 and has its inner ead mounted in a bearing 56 in the gear Wheel 57 fast onithe intermediate shaft and provided with a hub ofi vhich extends to and engages the inner bearing 59 for the iiitermediate shaft. Upon the counter shat't 54; is keyed a large gear fi0 which is adapted to mesh with the sliding eluteh' gear 4&6 when the clutch is open, The coimtershai't also carries two selective'gears 6i, and 62 which are keyed thereto and slidahle. thereon under the control of he yoke-lever 63. The gears 61 and 62 are adapted respectively to mesh with thegears 49 and 6% on the auxiliary driving shaft 5O- ,u oon v.'h1ch' is also keyed a .cone of selective sliding gears 65, 66, ,6? and 68 which are adapted to mesa respectively with the. gears 52, 69, '70 and '21 keyed on the intermediate shaft. The drive from shaft 55 is'thron'gh gears Y2 and 73 to the spindle 74.; 1h this construction also the several shafts have their common center lines in the plaii'e of the horizontal division line of the gear box.

With this arrangement of gears twelve? speeds are obtained and only the gears which areaetually doing the driving are in mesh; To illustrate, the slowest speed is derived through the following series of meshing gears, namely, 46, 50, 6:2, as, 65,5,?2 and 73.

The highest speed is obtained through throwing in the clutch to connect the auxiliary driven shatt to shaft and drive through gears 68, 71, "(2 and Y It will be noted that in this arrangement the 'oountersheft 5d is disconnected. l i he'n the gaw clutch is thrown in a, drive the auxiliary drive shaft 50 direct, we obtain. the four fast speeds ac cording to Whether We use-toe gear 65, 66, 67,01 68 to drive the intermediate shaft 55..

The four intermediate speeds are obtained I openii g the clutch and driving the auxiliary (ltlVQ- shaft through gears 46, 60, 61 and $9. the four speeds being determined by the selective manipulation of the cone of gears on auxiliary drive shaft. The four lowest speeds are obtained by opening the clutch and driving through gears 46, 60, 62 and 6% to the auxiliary drive shaft. One

-bject of the arrangement shown in thisli iire is that the clutch is on the. shaft of Y lowest speed to make easier its operation, it being oi'ten true 111 the gear drive for turret movable mary revo ves more 1a the intermediate shaft .55 which is the :na it that carries the clutch inl ig. 1 and which is ing shaft.

T advantage ofthe arrangement of the con rshaft with the clutch gear means for drawing it into and out of the drive, may be obtained with otherarrangements of the couiitershaft than those shown, it being my purpose to illustrate: in' the two designs shown the principles "of construction by means of which 1 am enabled to obtain the advantages in construction and operation hcreinbei'ore pointed out. The characteristic feature of that the counter-shaft shall be always driven by a movable-wi h the movable clutch element and rotatable therewith.

Having thus described my invention, what claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latent, is 7 1. in variable speed gear driving means, in combination, a plurality of selective -driving gears, a spindlea countershait ha'v-ing' a plurality ol gears thereon, ing adapted selective gearto transmit different speed drives from said gears on the 'countei shaft to the spindle, and a clutch and gear adapted. to control thedriving connection through the selective driving gears either directly to the spindle, leaving the countershaft idle, or indirectly through the conntershait to the spindle.

In a variable speed gear drive, a d 'ive shall, a countershait, a spindle, a train gearing connecting the countershaft and spindle, a plurality of selective gears, a

train of gearin for driving through said the spindle, and a' selective gears rcct to clutch and gear means to disconnect the ccuntershait from ihedrive under direct driving conditions and to connect the counter-shaft to the drive under indirect driving conditions, substan tially as described.

In a variable speed gear drive, a countershait, a spindle, ll train of gearing con; the countershai't and spindle, a plul selective gears, a train of gearing ving through said selective gears dito the spindle, clutch means interposed in said latter train of gearing, and a sliding gear movable with the clutch and adapted to connect the drive shaft andcountershait under indirect driving connections for the spindle and. to disconnect the counter-shaft under direct driving conditions for the spindle, all countcrshait and gearing meshing therewith, being lective sliding gears, a shaft support theregears, a gear having a jaw in that design the slowest mov the various arrangements is her or by said shift said 1 drive direct sliding gears,

for the spindle fonand a driven spindle, of countershaft which has moun' ed thereon selectiveshding clutch, on end of same, said clutch gear being adapted'to I drive the countershaft, a gear driving means between the countershaft and spindie, a. mating clutch adapted to mesh with the clutch gear when said gear is withdrawn from operative connection with gearing on the countershaft tate, and means driven by said mating clutch member to drive said spindle through said selective'gear series and the clutch.

- 5. In a. variable speed gear drive for a spindle, a plurality of selective gears, a conntershelt having gears thereon ior driving at different speeds, a car and aclutch member connected tosai gear which is adapted to mesh with and'drive a gear on the coimtersha'ft, a mating clutch member, an intermediate shaft, gears thereon adapted to be driven by said mating clutch memc'ountershaft gears to transmit motion to the' spindle,.and means to clutch and connected gear. to through the selective gearing and through the clutch to the spindle, leaving the countershai't still, said gear and clutch, when the clutch is open, being adaptedto drive through the variable speed gear m on the countershaft to the spindle, substantially as described.

6. In a variable speed gear driving mech anism, a series of three or more selective a shaft therefor, a countershaft having a number of variable speed driving gears thereon, a gear having a clutch member which is adapted to mesh with or be disconnected from a gear on the countershait, a mating clutch member and gearing driven thereby,,a spindle, and gearing adapted to connect or disconnect said spindle from the countershaft, the gear mechanism being so arranged that when are disengaged and the clutch gear is 111 mesh with a. gear on the countershaft, the

- drive to the spindle is through oneof the selectiveseries of gears and the countershaft, and when the cliitch members are interlocked and the clutch'gear disconnected from the countershaft, the drive. to the spindle is through one of the selective series of gears and clutch.

7. In a variable speed gear drive 'mechanism, in combination, .a drive shafting, intermediate shafting, countershafting and a spindle, saidshafting having their center lines in the same plane, a gear box divided on the planes of said center lines, and selective variable speed driving gearing mounted on said shaftings and spindle, substantially as described. 7

8. In a variable speed gear drive mechanism, in combination. a drive shafting, in-

the clutch members 1 rotatable therewith and termediate shafting, countershafting and a spindle, sald Sl1LlZt1I1"S and spindle having thelr center lines in the same plane, a gear box divided on the planes of said centerlines, and selective variable speed driving gearing mounted on said shaftings and spindle, substantially as described.

9. In a variable speed gear drive mechanisin, in combination, a drive shaft, an inter .gear to drive through the counter-shaft to the spindle, substantially as described.

10. In a variable speed gear drive mechanism, in combination, a drive shaft, a ooun tershaft, an intermediate shafting formed of two sections, clutch means to connect and disconnect said sections, a selective gearing for transmitting motion from the drive shaft to one section of the intermediate slxafting, selective mechanism for transmitting diiferent speed drives from the countershaft to the other section of the intermediate shafting, a driving gear for the countersha-ft, a gear slidable with one of the clutch elements and adapted to mesh with said driving gear and transmit motion through the countershaft from one to the other section of the intermediate shaft-ing,

and a gear drive from the last mentioned intermediate shafting section to the spindle.

11. In a variable speed gear drive mechanism, in combination, a drive shaft, a countershaft, intermediate shafting formed of 'two sections, clutch means to connect and disconnect said sections, a selective gearing for transmitting motion from the drive shaft to one section of the intermediate shafting, SBlBCtI'VGJIlBCiIaDlSHl for transmitting diiferent speed drives from th countershaft to the other section ofthe intermediate sliafting, a gear slidable with one of the clutch elements and a meshing gear adapted to transmit motion through the countersha ft from one to the other section of the interanedmte shafting, and a selective two speed gear drive between said latter shaft and the 12. In a variable speed geardrive mechanism, in combination, a gear box, a plurality of gear shafts and a spindle mounted therein, the gear shafts being formed in short sections and arranged in one or more pairs end to end with a common center line for each pair, a variablespeed selective driving gearing distributed over said shafts and adapted to be manipulated to drive the spindle at varying speeds, a jaw clutch connection between the abutting ends of a pair of said shafts, and gearing movable into. mesh as the clutch is opened and adapted When the clutch is open to transmit motion indirectly through an otherwise undriven shaft from one to the other of said abutting shaft sections, substantially as described.

13. In a variable speed gear drive mecha nism, a. drive shaft, three transmission shafts, a spindle, selective gearing distribing the latter at varying speeds, said shafts extending only partway through the box and arranged in pairs end to end having common center lines, an intermediate bearingfor one shaft of each pair, a gear fixed on the inner end of said shaft of each pair and provided With-a bearing to receive and support the inner end of its respective alining shaft, a clutch interposed between two abutting shaft sections, and means controlled b .the clutch to drive either directly from the power shaft through two of the other shafts to the spindle, or indirectly through the, three shafts to the spindle, substantially as described.

14-. In combination, a gear box divided in halves, a plurality of alining pairs-of shafts mounted in the gear box, a gear fast on the inner end of a shaft of each pair, an inner bearing for each such gear bearing shafts,

a bearing in these-id gears to support the inner ends of the other shaft of their respec tive pairs, and changeable speed gears keyed on said shafts and selectively movable to drive-a spindle at varying speeds.

as uted over said shafts and spindle for driv 15. In combination, a gear box'divided in halves, a plurality of alining pairs of shafts I and a spindle mounted "with their center lines on the line of division of the gear box, a gear fast on the inner end of a shaft of each pair, an inner bearing for each such gear bearing shafts, an antifriction shaft bearing on each of said gears and adapted to receive and support the inner end of the of selective gearskeyed on said shafts, and

, vmeshing gears for the transmission of Seotner shaft of each pair, two or more cones" 

